Cops arrest man after LA Times threat

Witnesses told the LA Times the man said he had been depressed and did not mind killing someone.

Los Angels - US police arrested a man late Friday after he entered the Los Angeles Times building and threatened to start shooting, the newspaper said.

It was unclear if the man was carrying a weapon or fired any shots, but building employees locked themselves in safe areas while police officers entered and detained the suspect.

Witnesses told the LA Times the man said he had been depressed and did not mind killing someone. He reportedly handed one person a bag of bullets and said that he did not want to go to jail.

Police have not identified the suspect, but photographs posted on the newspaper website showed a white male dressed entirely in black, including black trainers, with uncombed long curly hair and no facial hair.

The LA Times said the suspect worked for Vxi Global Solutions, a company that specialises in call centres and rents office space in the building.

The LA Times has the fourth highest circulation of any newspaper in the United States.

The paper's art deco building opened in 1935 and is located in downtown Los Angeles across from the headquarters of the city police. - Sapa-AFP